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  • Dwight Luttrell has been an avid bowler since the age of 17. He is currently the manager of Playtime Lanes at 3501 S. 4th St. in Chickasha JESSICA LANE / EXPRESS-STAR

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September 20, 2012

Playtime Lanes manager true student of sport

Jessica Lane, Staff Writer, jlane@chickashanews.com The Express-Star

CHICKASHA — Dwight Luttrell has been throwing bowling balls down polished lanes since he first picked one up at 17.

Currently the manager of Playtime Lanes, Luttrell plays in four leagues and travels to tournaments around the state and country.

"I love this job. It's perfect for me, as much as I like to bowl," he said.

Luttrell had spent a lot of time at the bowling alley when it was located in the South Lane Shopping Center. He was hired as the manager shortly before Playtime Lanes changed locations to 3501 S. 4th St. in Chickasha.

Formerly an elementary school coach and then principal in Cyril for a total of 31 years, Luttrell already had a lot of supervision experience. No stranger to Chickasha, Luttrell has also worked part time for McRay's Funeral Home.

Luttrell said Playtime Lanes has a great staff. Playtime Lanes is owned by Bo McHugh. Among the ten employees include Mary Jeffries at the snack bar and Patrick Williams, assistant manager who has been there for about nine years.

There are 16 lanes, plenty of room for the six or seven tournaments hosted at Playtime Lanes every year.

Playtime Lanes host Second Base Savers' Annual 9 Pin No Tap for Breast Cancer Tournament and the USAO Presidential 9 Pin No Tap Tournament is coming up on Oct. 12, 13 and 14.

A new youth league started up last Saturday and will run for 28 weeks. The youth league takes place Saturday mornings at 10 a.m.

The Special Olympics bowlers, the Athletes of Grady County, practice at Playtime Lanes every Monday and Tuesday at 4 p.m.

To join a league is as easy as showing up, Luttrell said.

Playtime Lanes is a favorite location of birthday parties and a place for local businesses to have their Christmas parties. Waste Connections and Wheels Express have their Christmas parties at the bowling alley every year, Luttrell said.

Playtime Lanes is open seven days a week. Their hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday and 1 to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Monday is Ladies' Pin Dusters and Tuesday is 9 Pin No Tap. Wednesday is Vegas Premiere, which works as a way to fund the entry fee for a bowling tournament in Las Vegas. Over 35 weeks, each person on each league sets aside a certain amount. At the end, the money is divided according to placement, but last place is always paid. On Friday night, the featured game is Colorama, in which different colored pins are worth a different amount of points. It starts at 7 p.m. and costs $13 for three games. A bowler took home $469 one night, Luttrell said.

"It's relaxed. Everybody has a good time," Luttrell said.

The travel leagues come in every other Sunday.

The arcade includes air hockey, Mortal Kombat, House of Dead and Hydro Thunder. There's also "The Boxer," an arcade boxing machine which is popular, Luttrell said, a pool table and a tee golf game. There's even an ATM and bill changer if you run out of quarters. Two jukeboxes provide the sound track.

In addition to bowling, Playtime Lanes patrons can enjoy a drink at the 10 Pin Pub, the lunch special between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. or the full service snack bar. Burgers with homemade patties and popcorn chicken are the top sellers, Luttrell said. Occasionally, when there's a good crowd, there's free food.

Autumn and spring tend to be the time of year when business picks up most at Playtime Lanes, between August and April.

Luttrell said that bowling provides "a lot of fun, a lot of good fellowship."

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